As many of you guys will know, i've been to China a good few times in the last couple of years, this will be my sixth trip in about two years and probably my last until next Chinese New Year.
I fly out of Dublin on Wednesday next, arriving Thursday afternoon in Hong Kong take the train to GZ and will be reunited at last with my qin ai de, my lao po, for the last time, we wont be apart again
This time there will be no tearful goodbyes at the airport - those totally suck, I'd be a liar if I said it gets easier, it doesn't. She will be coming back with me to Ireland.
I'll be about two and half weeks in China over the New year in Guangzhou which seems almost like a second home now at this stage. We'll spend most evenings with Sunny's parents for dinner and have a lot of other stuff to get arranged.
We are also looking forward to meeting up with Dave (Bee964) over the New Year period and having a few obligatory dumplings !!
Then she comes to Ireland and my life as a single guy comes to an end
I've booked another 4 weeks here, after we get back, off work, so hopefully she will be well adjusted and settled by the time I have to go to work hopefully, I'm certainly going to try to make it as comfortable a transition as possible.
So I guess its coming to the end of one road in one respect and starting down a new one in another respect. I will do my best to rise to the challenge, i know she is the one for me, no matter what challenges we meet i am sure we can climb over and be better for it. My two sisters are super excited to have another sister in the family and I'm certain Sunny will be made feel very welcome here.
I'm hugely grateful to the guys that have been here for me from the very beginning Facebook days, frankly without you I'd probably be alone and sad this new year instead of full of joy and happiness. This journey sure isn't for quitters, it takes patience, bravery and a willingness to embrace a totally different culture to what most of us ill have experienced in the west. I once read that Chinese women are steel wrapped in cotton and that's the best description I've read. Beautiful and womanly outside, and incredibly strong , loyal, wonderful inside..worth every minute spent trying to win their heart!
Heres to turning a new page, and raising my glass to those who have gotten me this far and to encourage those just starting on the journey, it may be a long one but its one worth taking
More updates to follow over the next few weeks..